City planners split on road for True North

January 07, 2002|By Peter Colmings

Destination Drive, as it was called on the site plan, would eventually connect to a road continuing east and then south through county-controlled land to service an area once proposed as a site for True North Crossings Mall, now identified as a possible home for Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse.

"I just don't think it goes there. There's too much traffic there already," said planning commission member Toni Brown. Brown, along with John Holloway and Jerry Campbell, voted against the site plan. A crowd of almost 30 people attended the meeting in City Council Chambers.

Planners said in September they wanted to see more specific information on the road's development before they would approve a site plan for what at the time was suggested as an 800,000-square-foot commercial space on Old 27 South. Gaylord City Manager Joseph Duff said at the time questions of land ownership, road and right of way width, Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) approval, and pedestrian access were questions left unanswered.

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Lawrence Schlink, with the Architectural Engineering Management Group of Pinconning, presented the site plan for the road, which leaves Old 27 in four lanes before narrowing to three by the time it reaches the city limits.

Schlink indicated each of the city's concerns had been addressed with Duff and Zoning Administrator Rebecca Curtis, including the installation of a bike path; receipt of MDOT approval for the project; drainage ditches to accommodate storm runoff; planting of buffer trees on Randolph Street; and a promise that Festival Land Development would maintain the roadway until it was accepted as a county road. Duff stated outright the city would not assume responsibility for its maintenance.

"This, for our purposes, does take care of it," Duff assured the planners.

Otsego County Road Commissioners have also stated they will not assume the road's care under its current three-lane plan. Schlink stated the Mazzellas would meet with the road commission Monday to discuss the issue further.

"The road was always on our property; it's just that we hired Larry to do it the right way," said Sil Mazzella. "As you can see tonight, it was laid out properly. I don't have anything to do with the other part."

Otsego County planners withdrew their special use permit for the mall in November at the request of Festival Land Development and approved a preliminary site plan for a 153,700-square-foot Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse. The business use is a "use by right" on the B2- (general business) and B3-zoned (business and light manufacturing) property.

"I know once this is approved by the city, once the county road commission says, 'Yes, we'll take it,' it becomes a county problem," said county planning commission member John Markovich, who was in attendance. "The county planning commission will have to study the same thing they studied tonight. We have to try and make sure we don't work against each other."

In response to questions posed by area resident Marsha LaForest, Schlink noted a 6-foot-tall fence would be erected between the road and the residences, in addition to tree plantings to reduce noise and site pollution. Light pollution, he added, would be a minimal problem.

With Wednesday's approval the site plan will be required to go before the Gaylord City Council Jan. 14 at 7 o'clock for an allowance that the roadway need not be constructed to city standards. Included in the city's concerns with the plan is the fact the road will be constructed to county standards and could be turned over to the county for maintenance when it is completed.

"I would think it's a doable plan as long as they meet city requirements. And it sounds like they want to do it," said Gaylord Mayor Gladys Solokis.